The present invention relates generally to systems and garments for externally controlling blood flow in the body, and more particularly to a system for electrically or pneumatically controlling blood circulation utilizing inflatable bladders applied to the lower body extremities in enhancing the effectiveness of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) on a subject.
Standard CPR techniques have typically been characterized by only about 5-20 percent of normal blood flow to the heart during CPR application and a survival rate of CPR recipients of only about 15 percent.
The invention solves or substantially reduces in critical importance problems with existing CPR techniques by providing a system for enhancing effectiveness of CPR performed on a subject by enhancing blood flow to and from the heart during CPR. The invention includes an inflatable garment for covering preselected portions of the lower body and legs of the subject, a source of pressurized air, a sensor responsive to the application of CPR pressure for placement on the chest of the subject, and a valve interconnecting the air source and garment and responsive to the sensor for rapid deflation of the garment during application of CPR pressure and rapid inflation of the garment upon removal of the CPR pressure.
The invention has application in the enhancement of survivability of subjects requiring CPR, and may be incorporated into any facility where CPR activity may be used, such as a hospital intensive care unit, emergency room or operating room, fire department, ambulance rescue unit or field medic unit. The invention may be adapted for hands-off operation by activation by a signal from an electrocardiagraph.
It is therefore a principal object of the invention to provide an improved garment for controlling blood flow in the body.
It is a further object of the invention to provide an electrically or pneumatically operated system and garment for controlling blood flow in the body.
It is a yet another object of the invention to provide an electrically or pneumatically operated system and garment for assisting the application of CPR to a subject
These and other objects of the invention will become apparent as a detailed description of representative embodiments proceeds.